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第17部分（第1页）

〃In　what　way　did　she　plain　of　his　behaviour？〃

〃He　was　being　seen　about　with　a　very　notorious　lady　…　the　one　we　have　been　speaking　of　…　Mirelle。〃

〃The　dancer。　Ah…ha！　And　Madame　Kettering　objected？　Was　she　very　devoted　to　her　husband？〃

〃I　would　not　say　that；〃　said　Van　Aldin　hesitating　a　little。

〃It　was　not　her　heart　that　suffered；　it　was　her　pride　…　is　that　what　you　would　say？〃

〃Yes；　I　suppose　you　might　put　it　like　that。〃

〃I　gather　that　the　marriage　had　not　been　a　happy　one　from　the　beginning？〃

〃Derek　Kettering　is　rotten　to　the　core；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃He　is　incapable　of　making　any　woman　happy。〃

〃He　is；　as　you　say　in　England；　a　bad　lot。　That　is　right；　is　it　not？〃

Van　Aldin　nodded。

〃Très　bien！　You　advise　Madame　to　seek　a　divorce；　she　agrees；　you　consult　your　solicitors。　When　does　M。　Kettering　get　news　of　what　is　in　the　wind？〃

〃I　sent　for　him　myself；　and　explained　the　course　of　action　I　proposed　to　take。〃

〃And　what　did　he　say？〃　murmured　Poirot　softly。

Van　Aldins　face　darkened　at　the　remembrance。

〃He　was　infernally　impudent。〃

〃Excuse　the　question；　Monsieur；　but　did　he　refer　himself　to　le　te　de　la　Roche？〃

〃Not　by　name；〃　growled　the　other　unwillingly；　〃but　he　showed　himself　cognizant　of　the　affair。〃

〃What；　if　I　may　ask；　was　M。　Ketterings　financial　position　at　the　time？〃

〃How　do　you　suppose　I　should　know　that？〃　asked　Van　Aldin；　after　a　very　brief　hesitation。

〃It　seemed　likely　to　me　that　you　would　inform　yourself　on　that　point。〃

〃Well　…　you　are　quite　right；　I　did。　I　discovered　that　Kettering　was　on　the　rocks。〃

〃And　now　he　has　inherited　two　million　pounds！　Ma　foi　…　it　is　a　strange　thing；　is　it　not？〃

Van　Aldin　looked　at　him　sharply。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　moralize；〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　reflect；　I　speak　the　philosophy。　But　to　return　to　where　we　were。　Surely　M。　Kettering　did　not　propose　to　allow　himself　to　be　divorced　without　making　a　fight　for　it？〃

Van　Aldin　did　not　answer　for　a　minute　or　two；　then　he　said：

〃I　dont　exactly　know　what　his　intentions　were。〃

〃Did　you　hold　any　further　munications　with　him？〃

Again　a　slight　pause；　then　Van　Aldin　said：　〃No。〃

Poirot　stopped　dead；　took　off　his　hat；　and　held　out　his　hand。

〃I　must　wish　you　good…day；　Monsieur。　I　can　do　nothing　for　you。〃

〃What　are　you　getting　at？〃　demanded　Van　Aldin　angrily。

〃If　you　do　not　tell　me　the　truth；　I　can　do　nothing。〃

〃I　dont　know　what　you　mean。〃